MLB Rankings: The 50 Most Underrated 'Pure Hitters' in Baseball History

Throughout the annals of baseball history, the art of hitting a round ball with a round bat has always been considered one of the toughest things to do in all of sports.

The fine line between hitting well and hitting poorly is indeed tiny—and characterized by failure. In school, if you incorrectly answer seven out of 10 questions, you are awarded a failing grade.

In baseball, if a hitter fails seven out of 10 times, he's a very good hitter.

But if he fails eight out of 10 times, he's a bum.

A 70 percent fail rate is all it takes to be considered a pure hitter. To be able to do it consistently over the course of a career is indeed rare.

Here is a list of 50 hitters who usually flew under the radar, yet consistently hit at a high level throughout their careers.

For the purposes of this presentation, we will not include any player who has been inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame. With that kind of recognition, it's pretty difficult to call them underrated, anyway.

49. Doc Cramer: 1929-1948

Center fielder Doc Cramer plied his trade in the American League for 20 years with four different teams. When he retired, only Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker had played more games in center.

Cramer's 2,705 total hits are the most of any player prior to 1975 who was not inducted into the Hall of Fame.

A natural spray hitter, Cramer often was at the top of the batting order, leading the American League in at-bats on seven occasions. Playing for the Athletics, Red Sox and Tigers, Cramer was often overshadowed by hitters such as Jimmie Foxx, Joe Cronin and Hank Greenberg.

47. Manny Sanguillen: 1967-1980

Photo courtesy 1960sbaseballblog.blogspot.com

Career Stats: .296 BA, 1,500 hits, three-time All-Star

Throughout his major league career, especially in the 1970s, catcher Manny Sanguillen was always considered one of the finest backstops in the National League. However, he was always overshadowed by others.

Spending 12 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Sanguillen was masterful in handling the Pirates pitching staff behind the plate, but he could wield the bat as well. Sanguillen retired with the fourth-highest batting average of any catcher since World War II.

Because he played in the same era as Johnny Bench and on teams that featured the likes of Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell, Sanguillen never received the accolades, but his bat and his offense was consistent throughout a stellar career.

46. Bob Johnson: 1933-1945

Left fielder Bob Johnson had the misfortune of playing on some pretty horrible teams during his 12-year career, but the stats clearly show a hitter who shined nonetheless.

Johnson spent 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics before finishing his career with the Boston Red Sox. The A's during that time were perennial losers, finishing at or near the bottom of the standings throughout Johnson's time there.

Despite his team's losing ways, Johnson started his career with nine consecutive seasons of 20-plus home runs and hit over .300 five times before retiring in 1945.

45. Shannon Stewart: 1995-2008

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Career Stats: .297 BA, .360 OBP, 1,653 hits

Breaking in with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1995, Shannon Stewart established himself as a regular in 1998. For the next several years, he was a fixture in the Jays lineup before moving on to the Minnesota Twins in 2003.

Stewart put together six consecutive seasons hitting .300 or better between 1999 and 2004, yet he never managed to be selected as an All-Star.

44. Dom DiMaggio: 1940-1953

Center fielder Dom DiMaggio may just be the epitome of a player who was overshadowed throughout his career.

The fact that his brother, Joe, was such a phenomenal player wasn't even the half of it—Dom DiMaggio was overshadowed on his own team as well, playing his entire career for the Boston Red Sox with Hall of Fame players Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr.

Nonetheless, DiMaggio shined, hitting .298 for his career and hitting over .300 four times at the top of the Red Sox lineup.

43. Pepper Martin: 1928, 1930-1940, 1944

Throughout a 13-year career spent entirely with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pepper Martin was known as a player who left everything out on the field.

Playing with a physical abandon and hustling style of play, Martin was a spark plug for the Gashouse Gang Cardinals teams of the 1930s. His career in his later years was marred by injuries because of his all-out style, but he nonetheless continued hitting above .300 despite his diminished capacity.

42. Jose Vidro: 1997-2008

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Career Stats: .298 BA, 1,524 hits, three-time All-Star

Second baseman Jose Vidro spent 12 years in the majors without ever partaking in the postseason, but despite the poor performance of teams he was associated with, Vidro was a consistent presence at the plate.

Hitting .298 for his career, Vidro spent 10 seasons with the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, ending his career with the Seattle Mariners in 2008.

On only three occasions did Vidro's teams finish above .500, yet he was consistently around the .300 mark, putting together five consecutive seasons above that mark between 1999 and 2003.

41. Shane Mack: 1987-1998

Outfielder Shane Mack spent two seasons trying to break through with the San Diego Padres before he was selected in the Rule 5 draft by the Minnesota Twins in 1989.

It turned out to be the break that Mack needed. He became a key component of the team that won the World Series in 1991, and Mack starred for the Twins for several seasons before moving to Japan in 1995.

Mack ended his MLB career with the Kansas City Royals in 1998 after compiling a career .299 batting average.

40. Bake McBride: 1973-1983

Career Stats: .299 BA, 1,153 hits, 1974 Rookie of the Year Award winner

In 1974, St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Bake McBride showed plenty of promise, hitting .309 with 30 stolen bases to win the NL Rookie of the Year award.

While he never quite lived up to his potential, McBride nonetheless displayed a natural hitting ability throughout his career, even hitting .311 in a utility role for the Cleveland Indians in the latter part of his career.

39. Carl Furillo: 1946-1960

During a 15-year career spent entirely with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, right fielder Carl Furillo became known for a rocket arm.

Furillo's cannon for an arm led him to record 10 or more assists for nine consecutive season, leading the National League in that category twice.

However, Furillo could also wield a productive bat. His .344 average in 1953 led the majors, and while he played in the shadow of such greats as Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese, Furillo was a key component of Dodgers' teams that won the World Series in 1955 and 1959.

37. Pedro Guerrero: 1978-1992

Photo courtesy insidesocal.com

Career Stats: .300 BA, 215 HR, five-time All-Star

For 15 seasons, outfielder Pedro Guerrero toiled for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals, and his ability to hit a baseball prompted statistician Bill James to call him "the best hitter God has made in a long time" (via Baseball Library).

Guerrero became a proficient power hitter during the early-to-mid 1980s with the Dodgers, hitting over 30 homers three times during his career.

Guerrero wasn't just known for power, however—he hit over .300 seven times during his career as well.

36. Wally Berger: 1930-1940

When Wally Berger broke into the majors with the Boston Braves in 1930, he set a record by hitting 38 home runs as a rookie—a mark that would stand until Mark McGwire hit 49 HR in 1987.

Berger was a fabulous hitter who made the All-Star team in the first four years of its existence. However, a shoulder injury in 1937 severely diminished Berger's natural hitting abilities, finally retiring in 1940 at just 34 years of age.

34. Sean Casey: 1997-2008

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Career Stats: .302 BA, 1,531 hits, three-time All-Star

Throughout his 12-year career, first baseman Sean Casey developed a reputation of talking to virtually every hitter who made his way to Casey's position at first base, earning him the nickname of "The Mayor."

However, Casey also developed a reputation as a solid hitter as well.

A three-time All-Star during his career, Casey hit over .300 six times, including his last season with the Boston Red Sox in 2008.

30. Mike Greenwell: 1985-1996

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Career Stats: .303 BA, 1,400 hits, two-time All-Star

When rookie Mike Greenwell took over in left field full time for the Boston Red Sox in 1987, he continued a tradition of outstanding hitters in left field that dated back to 1939 (Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice).

Greenwell hit over .300 five times after breaking through full time, and while he didn't have the power of his three predecessors, Greenwell provided a more-than-steady presence with his bat for several seasons before his tenure in Boston ended in 1996.

27. Moises Alou: 1990-2008

Outfielder Moises Alou came from pretty good stock. His father and two uncles famously played together in the same outfield for the San Francisco Giants in 1963.

Alou used his bloodline to fashion a stellar career of his own, becoming one of the great-hitting outfielders in the National League.

In 2007, Alou hit .345 for the New York Mets, which included a 30-game hitting streak—the longest such streak in history by a player over the age of 40.

Alou made only one World Series appearance during his career, but he made the most of it. He hit .321 with three homers and nine RBI to help the Florida Marlins over the Cleveland Indians in a grueling seven-game matchup in 1997.

26. Curt Walker: 1919-1930

Photo courtesy tbhof.org

Career Stats: .304 BA, 1,475 hits, 117 triples

In a 12-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants, outfielder Curt Walker was never known for his power, but his ability to find the gaps led to 117 career triples and a career .813 OPS.

Walker hit over .300 seven times, including his final season with the Reds in which he hit .307 at the age of 33. He was also one of the toughest hitters to strike out, fanning only once every 19.2 at-bats.

25. Manny Mota: 1962-1982

During a 20-year career with four National League teams, Manny Mota was never a full-time player, but he was one of the most proficient pinch hitters in MLB history.

Mota ranks third all time with 150 pinch hits, and when he got the opportunity to play, he made the most of it. He hit over .300 11 times, including his final four seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a pinch-hitting specialist.

The ability to hit over .300 is tough enough as an everyday player—to do it as a part-time player coming off the bench cold on many occasions is even tougher. That fact alone gives Mota a prominent place on this list.

24. Tony Oliva: 1962-1976

When Tony Oliva broke through as the regular right fielder for the Minnesota Twins in 1964, he immediately established himself as a quality hitter.

Oliva led the American League with a .323 batting average, earning the Rookie of the Year Award and an All-Star selection as well. Oliva would earn seven more consecutive selections to the AL All-Star team as well, following up with two more batting titles (1965, 19714).

Together with Rod Carew, the two captured five batting titles for the Twins between 1964 and 1972.

Oliva's final years were hampered by a series of knee injuries, forcing him to retire in 1976 as a part-time designated hitter.

22. Rusty Greer: 1994-2002

Rusty Greer spent his entire nine-year career with the Texas Rangers, establishing himself as a proficient hitter whose career was cut short by a series of devastating injuries.

Greer was a fan favorite in Arlington, particularly because of his all-out style play—a style that eventually led to crippling injuries. Nonetheless, Greer hit over .300 in five of his nine seasons, and three times collected more than 40 doubles.

21. Ralph Garr: 1968-1980

In looking over the careers of several players on this list, it's difficult to see how their careers seemingly went under the radar. Ralph Garr's 13 years in the majors is an example.

Garr hit over .300 five times during his career, including leading the National League with a .353 batting average in 1974, yet that was the only time Garr was ever selected for the All-Star team.

Garr's speed also helped him lead the NL in triples in back-to-back seasons (1974-1975), and with his uncanny ability to spray the ball to all areas of the field, he constantly gave opposing teams fits in how to properly position themselves defensively.

Garr's 149 hits before the All-Star break in 1974 is still a record to this day.

20. Dixie Walker: 1931-1949

Some players take a little while to develop in the majors, and that was certainly the case for outfielder Dixie Walker.

After spending parts of five seasons with the New York Yankees, Walker was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1937.

Walker would then go on to record 10 seasons with a batting average of .300 or higher, seeing his most productive years with the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939-1947. Walker led the NL with a .357 average in 1944.

19. Johnny Pesky: 1942, 1946-1954

Pesky would be an apt description to describe former Red Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky.

Playing in the shadow of Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and Dom DiMaggio, Pesky was a perfect complement at the top of the Sox batting order.

In his rookie year in 1942, Pesky led the American League with 205 hits. With his career interrupted by three years of military service during World War II, Pesky didn't miss a beat, again leading the AL for two consecutive years following his return.

Pesky ended his career with the Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators, finishing with a career .307 batting average and six seasons with a BA of .300 or better.

15. Harvey Hendrick: 1923-1934

Photo courtesy theconloncollection.com

Career Stats: .308 BA, 896 hits, .807 OPS

Harvey Hendrick is another player who blossomed later in life.

Spending his first three seasons shuffling back and forth from the minors with the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians, Hendrick finally began to flourish with the Brooklyn Robins in 1927 at the age of 29.

Hendrick hit well over .300 four of the next five seasons, with a .354 average in 110 games in 1929.

Hendrick's career ended in 1934 with the Philadelphia Phillies, still managing to hit .293 in 59 games.

14. Spud Davis: 1928-1945

As a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates, Spud Davis platooned for much of his career.

Despite not playing every day and handling the rigorous duties behind the plate, Davis hit over .300 nine times during his 16-year career, including a .349 batting average in 1933 with the Philadelphia Phillies.

12. Rip Radcliff: 1934-1943

Throughout his 10-year career in the American League, outfielder Rip Radcliff was a thorn in the side of opposing teams with his bat, but he never fully achieved the recognition afforded to others.

Radcliff was another late bloomer, playing his first game with the Chicago White Sox in 1934 at 28 years of age.

Radcliffe would eclipse batting mark of .300 five times during his career, earning an All-Star selection just once in 1936.

In 1940, Radcliff was second in the American League in batting before the All-Star game, but for some reason was left off the team. He ended his career in 1943 after he joined the Navy to fight in World War II.

10. Ed Morgan: 1928-1934

Photo courtesy theconloncollection.com

Career Stats: .313 BA, 879 hits, .398 OBP

It's a good thing outfielder/first baseman Ed Morgan could hit, because his glove was not his strong suit.

Morgan started out as a right fielder and was eventually moved to first base by the Cleveland Indians. In 1929, Morgan's 11 errors led the American League for right fielders, and he led the league in errors twice at first base as well.

But Morgan certainly knew how to hit. He hit .349 in 1930 and followed that up with a .351 average in 1931. He bested the .300 mark four times in his career.

After being sent to the minors in 1934 by the Boston Red Sox, Morgan played a couple of years in the minors before finally calling it quits and joining the family business.

9. Jack Fournier: 1912-1927

Jack Fournier was actually one of the premier hitters of the game during the 1910s and 1920s, but he was also one of the game's worst-ever fielders.

For example, before the start of the 1916 season, in an article printed in the Los Angeles Times, writer Harry A. Williams was writing about the chances for the Chicago White Sox—Fournier's team at the time—for the upcoming season.

"The only weak defensive point in the infield is at first base, where Fournier will again try his hand at playing that position. For every run that he lets in, he will drive in another, making it a so-so proposition," Williams wrote at the time.

Fournier committed an astonishing 20 errors at first base five times during his career.

However, he was also a productive hitter, hitting .300 or better eight times during his career and leading the National League in home runs in 1924.

8. Cecil Travis: 1933-1947

Had his career not been interrupted by three years of military service during his prime, infielder Cecil Travis may very well have earned induction into baseball's Hall of Fame.

Travis hit .300 or better in seven of his first eight seasons before the United States entered into World War II. Travis had earned three All-Star selections and led the American League in hits (218) in 1941.

When Travis returned from the war, he was unable to be nearly as effective, finally ending his career after hitting just .216 with the Washington Senators in 1947.

6. Joe Harris: 1914-1928

As mentioned in previous slides, oftentimes players take years to finally realize their full potential.

In the case of Joe Harris, war injuries were the reason for his late arrival in the majors.

Harris spent parts of two seasons with both the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians before he served in World War I.

Harris was involved in a truck accident during the war, suffering two broken legs, three broken ribs and a fractured skull. After taking over a year to recover, Harris finally made his way back to the majors, making his mark with the Boston Red Sox in 1922.

Harris then put together six consecutive seasons with a batting average of .300 or higher before age finally caught up to him in 1928.

3. Babe Herman: 1926-1937, 1945

One thing that right fielder/first baseman Babe Herman couldn't do well on the baseball was field—he committed 137 total errors at two relatively easy defensive positions.

But he sure could hit.

Herman was a noted power hitter, clubbing 35 HR with 130 in 1930 with the Brooklyn Robins. However, Herman was also proficient with the bat overall, hitting over .300 nine times, including posting a .393 batting average in 1930.

1. Riggs Stephenson: 1921-1934

When looking at a .336 lifetime batting average, one would wonder why Riggs Stephenson was never enshrined in baseball's Hall of Fame.

Poor defense was the reason.

Stephenson was as natural a hitter as there ever was, but there were only four seasons in his entire career that he ever played more than 130 games. He often platooned because of his horrible defensive skills at second base, third base and left field.

Stephenson hit over .300 12 times during his 14-year career, with a unique ability to spray the ball to all fields.

Stephenson retired with a .336 batting average—the highest average for any player in the 20th century not in baseball's Hall of Fame despite qualifying.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.